Source: Team_Talk
Spurs start thrilled Jenas
Jermaine Jenas hailed Tottenham's first-half display in their Champions League opener at Werder Bremen as the best of his five years at Spurs.[LNB] Midfielder Jenas helped Spurs romp to a 2-0 lead at the Weserstadion last night and watched them squander further chances to kill the game before Bremen came roaring back to equalise in a crazy four-minute spell either side of half-time.[LNB]Although "disappointed" with the outcome, Jenas was thrilled with the visitors' early onslaught in what was their first ever match in the competition proper.[LNB]He said: "In the Champions League, to come to a place like this - which is a tough place to come - and keep them quiet and put in such a performance was probably the best 43 minutes I've seen at Tottenham since I've been here."[LNB]Jenas was a surprise starter last night, making just his second appearance of the season following a summer that saw him repeatedly linked with a move away from White Hart Lane.[LNB]The 27-year-old more than justified his recall in place of the injured Luka Modric in what was the 50th European match of his career.[LNB]Indeed, Jenas produced one of the passes of the season to help set up Spurs' second goal, volleying a defensive clearance out to Rafael van der Vaart on the left and giving the Dutchman all the time he needed to cross for Peter Crouch to head home.[LNB]"I knew where Rafa was, the ball was coming down to me and it was just an instinct," Jenas said.[LNB]"I saw it, I hit it, and - thankfully - it worked out well for us."[LNB]Despite continuing to dominate, that was as good as it got for Tottenham, who loosened their stranglehold on the game at just the wrong moment.[LNB]"It's the timing of goals as well that makes the difference," said Jenas.[LNB]"That one they got late in the first half, when they came out, they were raring to go.[LNB]"Unfortunately, we probably fell asleep in the first couple of minutes.[LNB]"But we pulled it back together, showed some experience, and we had a few chances ourselves in the end."[LNB]He added of the outcome: "There's always that little nagging thing inside of me, which is if we could've held on for the first half then maybe (we could have had) more.[LNB]"It's the Champions League; it's time to enjoy ourselves."[LNB]Jenas was one of a handful of Spurs players on the field last night with previous experience of the competition, having helped Newcastle to the now-defunct second group stage seven years ago.[LNB]But it was uncharted territory for the likes of captain Ledley King, who described his pride at being the first man to lead Tottenham out for a match in the old European Cup for almost half a century.[LNB]The defender told Spurs TV Online: "Very proud. I've been wanting to play at this level for a long time and I'm glad it's finally here.[LNB]"But there's no time for me to get all sentimental![LNB]"It's another game; it's at the top level - which we want to be playing at - and it's up to us to go and show what we can do."[LNB]He added: "We played brilliantly in that first half. The only disappointment was the goal we conceded just before half-time.[LNB]"Once they got themselves back in it, they came out with something to play for again and that's when they became difficult."[LNB]King admitted Spurs would have taken a draw before the game and was also encouraged that holders Inter Milan could only manage an identical result at FC Twente in the other Group A game.[LNB]"If you're 2-0 up, you're going to be disappointed if you don't win the game," King said.[LNB]"Looking back on it, I'm sure it'll turn out to be a good point.[LNB]"The good thing is we haven't lost any ground on anyone so far, so it's all to play for."
